FELIZ NATAL

Hello everyone!

  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I did!  What did we do this week... hmm.

   We started out the week with `Natal Blanco` or White Christmas. Not like the ones I used to know... ha ha! Our zone had a night where everyone met at one chapel to have baptisms. We didn’t have any, and arrived too late, but there was one advantage. This chapel was right next to a HUGE Christmas tree of lights. It was absolutely beautiful! We climbed up on a wall to take a cool picture and almost killed ourselves, but it was worth it! I loved seeing the tree!

 Then we had our Christmas conference with all of the missionaries in this city. There were about 80 Elders and 4 of us Sisters. We shared skits, watched `Toy Story 3` (which was a real treat! Such a cute movie!! I died laughing when ken was trying on the clothes, and I LOVED the Spanish Buzz.. so funny! Things also become funnier when you don’t see movies for a long time. But I have to admit that I was trying so hard not to cry in the end in front of 50 young men. Ha  ha!) We had a big lunch, a great spiritual time with our president and then got little presents. It was so fun! Its always nice to take a day off and spend time with other missionaries.

   Christmas Eve we visited people and wished them a Merry Christmas. Everyone one the street received a `FELIZ NATAL!!` from us, and people here are so friendly that they always shouted it back. We ate dinner in a member´s house who is a chef at a nice restaurant on the beach. YUM!

  After, my companion insisted that we celebrate Christmas `Brazilian Style` or in other words, we stay up until midnight to open gifts and party. So I took her package and wrapped all her gifts, wrapped some odd things around the house for myself to open, and then arranged our little tree. She was already sleeping, so I read the Nativity story alone, and realized how grateful I am for all the things in my life. I am so grateful for my Savior, because without him, I wouldn’t have any happiness in my life. But because of him, all of the things I love and are of worth are possible to have forever. It was so great!

  So we opened presents at midnight and ate a ton of candy! It was really fun. Then slept..

 Christmas day I talked with my family and it was absolutely wonderful! I loved talking with them, and have never had 40 min pass by so fast.

 Well I hope you all have a wonderful new year and set good goals for this year. I am so excited for 2011!

 Love you all!

-Sister Gordon!

The Tree and the wall....





Ward Christmas Party






Me and My Missionary Companion




Singing for the ward Christmas Party


Another Christmas party




Christmas at Midnight

Christmas in a city named Christmas (Natal)!

MERRRY CHRISTMAS!!  Feliz Natal!

  This past week was pretty fun. I had a funny experience I need to share. So last p-day we were able to go to the mall for a little bit, which was a special occasion. We saw that the Santa line wasn’t very busy, so why not? When we finally got to sancta, he started asking a lot about the church. He was so sincere! He said that he had always been curious about the church, and was asking a lot about what we do and believe. Everyone was looking at us weird, Santa talking to two missionaries in the middle of the mall!!  Our turn was over, but he continued talking to us about the church as little kids were taking pictures on his lap. Ha ha! When my companion took down his address, i wanted to make so many jokes! She asked `where do you live? ‘I wanted to say `The north pole!` Then she asked, what is the best time to find you at home? He replied, Oh you know, this season is a little busy! I almost said ´of course! With the elves and present stuff, your schedule is a little tight! ` But it was a fun experience. Having Christmas in a city named Christmas, and baptizing Santa! HAHA!

 We also had an activity this week with both wards. We  made `gingerbread` houses! We used crackers and frosting to make the houses, and decorate. They had never done it before, and it turned out to be a huge hit! I had to explain to everyone that they weren’t for eating, but they didn’t care! We had a lot of fun, and I played Christmas music to bring the spirit. I just love the Christmas season!

 Well, this should be a fun week. We will have an awesome Christmas party with half my mission, and I am really excited! Then talking to my family and  Christmas dinners! Y ay! I hope you all have a wonderful week, and remember that I love you!

Love, Sister Gordon

A Cloud Cover........what a blessing!

This week flew by so fast that I don´t even know what to talk about. Time keeps going faster and faster, what is this? I have been trying to get into the Christmas spirit here, but it is so difficult when it feels like summer! I am amazed at how not big of a deal Christmas is here. It´s just a one day holiday, not a month holiday like in the US. So, I am putting on activities here to bring the Christmas spirit. I am pretty sure that my companion is sick and tired of Mormon Tabernacle Christmas, but oh well! I am enjoying it while I can!

  This week was a huge blessing, as far as the heat wave goes. It has been cloudy most of the week, and less hot. OOOO how wonderful! Maybe the Lord is blessing me with some Seattle clouds for Christmas. I am pretty happy. But nonetheless, I will describe how `normal` is here. The normal temperature in my house is about 86 degrees, and HUMID. Everything is worse when It´s humid. In the morning when I do exercise, I literally drip sweat everywhere! First time in my life! It´s disgusting.  (Sorry for anyone that didn’t want to hear that..oops!) But everyone says that it will still get hotter.. How can people live like this? ha-ha!

  A member here led us to a family of 7, who are all interested. The kids are more interested than the parents, but I hope that they will all be baptized together. My companion and I are working hard and time is passing so fast.

 I really don’t have too much to say this week! I love you all and please enjoy all the wonderful things about Christmas. Merry early Christmas!

-Sister Steph Gordon
The photo is everyone in my mission.................

A Great 22nd Birthday!

This week was better! Actually, we didn’t do much this week. My companion was pretty sick, so we just stayed inside most of the time. I didn’t mind too much, because it´s nice to relax and recuperate. She is doing better now, and we will start to work hard again this week!
My birthday turned out to be absolutely wonderful! I woke up to a big banner that my companion had made in the middle of the night. It said `Parabens Sister Gordon!`(or congrats!). She didn’t allow me to wash dishes, and made some wonderful doughnut like things for breakfast. Yum!
That afternoon we worked, and everyone fed us Ice cream, or yummy food here. It was such a hot day, that it really didn’t feel like my birthday. First time I´ve actually sweated on my birthday! Ha ha!

We stopped by this member’s house to pick up the cake I ordered, and she said she didn’t make it. I was a little sad, but hey, what can I do. So we headed over to the church to meet some people there. When I arrived, my dear friends Rayane and Jaine grabbed my hand and led me into a classroom. On the chalkboard was written “Happy Birthday Sister Gordon!”and they had a cake with snacks on the table. People from the ward partied with us and sang happy birthday to me. I started to cry! It was so wonderful.

 It felt good to know that even though I am far away from home, (and missing family and friends a little) I still am loved, and have a Brazilian family here. I was so happy! (and stuffed after the party!)
I hope you all have a wonderful week! I love you all, and you´re in my prayers.
Love,
the old 22 yr old sister gordon



Happy Birthday sign from companion!




Birthday donuts

Young Women at church.......


Yummy Birthday cake and goodies!

Patience and Faith

Hello Everyone!!

  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I heard that it is snowing a lot and getting cold! Lucky ducks.

    I won´t lie in this email- I had a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad week. The worst day? Thanksgiving of course! This week we had lunches in member’s houses that were in the farthest and most difficult area. My companion and I became exhausted physically really fast. Walking in the thousand degree weather at noon day really takes away your energy!  So it became very difficult to work, but we kept working.

Then Thanksgiving day.. We walked to lunch, became extremely exhausted and everything fell through. At one moment during the afternoon, my companion looked over at me and said, “I am walking on pure faith”.  I completely agreed with her. I just kept thinking, “just put one foot in front of the other.”  Everything fell through that day. Every appointment- oops no one home! I finally sat down just to not pass out, and tried not to cry. Luckily, my companion helped me up and we made it through the day. 

 I am not sharing this to complain, but for you to realize how wonderful the Lord is. So, the next day (Saturday) was bad too. We had 3 baptisms marked and no one showed up to be interviewed. Then a Family Home Evening we marked with a family 3 weeks ago fell through. And, the lady forgot to make the wonderfully tasty cake that I had ordered from her for my birthday. Yet again, I wanted to cry. Ha ha! I thought “Why is this happening? My companion and I worked so hard this transfer, and we are almost dying. What did I do wrong??”

 But the Lord heard my prayers. Sunday, all 3 of the baptisms we marked were there in church and ready to be baptized. Luckily, everything worked out with their interviews, and we were able to baptize them all. It was a miracle! 

 I know the Lord watches out for us. He sees the hard work that we put into things. Sometimes we need to learn a lesson, like I did last week. Patience and faith. This isn’t my work, but the Lord´s work! 

We had transfers this week, and I will be staying here in the same area with the same companion! I have been here in this area for 6 months now- it’s my first area! I am happy though because I like it here. The only problem is that it is huge, and I don’t feel like I have strength enough to handle it this upcoming transfer. I will need your prayers more than ever! It will be the hottest time of the year this next month- I hope I will survive!

 Funny (but not funny story)- The other night my companion and I made soup. Oh it was so tasty. She was sick that night, so she didn’t eat any, but I pigged out! The next day at lunch, we started eating soup (in the daylight, might I add) and I realized that it was full of little worms! Sure enough they had entered into the soup mix and into my tummy. I wanted to throw up! This isn’t the first time, but I hope it will be the last. I guess it’s just extra nutrition? I put a picture on there for you all to see. We also had another huge cockroach enter into our room the other day, and my companion killed it. It was actually funny because it was flying around the room while she was trying to kill it, and she yelled `this feels like a horror movie!` Luckily I have wonderful companions who kill the bugs while I stay far away and watch :)

   Well I love you all and have a wonderful week. Happy 22nd Birthday to me- I will throw a little party for myself. Hey- these things are only as fun as you make it. Tchau- até mais!

Com amor, 

   Sister Gordon

The Cockroach.....eeek!!



Me and Lucia



Kaline and Eliana

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone!

Hello everyone!

   Well, how are ya´ll doing? This week is thanksgiving, and I have no idea what day it is! Ha ha I hope you all have a wonderful thanksgiving and eat to your heart’s content!

  This week was full of ALOT of walking, preaching, and inviting. I just need to take a minute to talk about how hot it is here.  I have to take 3 baths a day, because I sweat so much that my clothes become wet and nasty. The other day, I was standing in the sun and felt the skin on my feel literally burning. The Lord is protecting me because I haven’t gotten burned yet, but the sun is ridiculously strong! Even the people who live here think its hot, and wonder how we survive! OO how I am being tested here, because I don’t like the sun!

  But the work continues. I don’t really have many cool stories to share, or anything funny to say. I am just working a lot! I have to say that the Lord truly knows what he is doing, and that we NEVER KNOW what will happen. This is why we need to trust in him! I do know that I am learning so much here on the mission. I cannot even express the amount of gratitude I have for the Lord trusting me enough to do this work. It´s great! It´s difficult.  It’s tiring. It´s gratifying. It´s happy! And that’s why I am here, to bring happiness, true happiness to the lives of others.

  I also have to brag a little bit, just because I can. Last night I was so tired and zoning out while a bunch of teenage Brazilian girls were talking (and you know any teenage girl talks fast!) I realized in the middle of their conversation that I was completely keeping up and understanding everything without paying attention! I can converse, teach, sing, joke and understand in Portuguese! It is so cool to know that I speak another language- I never thought this day would come. Now i still have a lot to learn, and I am really hard on myself with this language, but I am proud. Only the Lord helped me do this. If anyone wants to know what the gift of tongues is, this is your definition. The Lord helping someone learns a language fluently in 6 months. Crazy!!

 Well have a good week everyone, I love you all and pray for you!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Love,  Sister Steph

A Sister Missionary Prep Day........and Pizza Hut!

What a wonderful week! I cannot express how wonderful it is to serve a mission. I have so much to say this week, and not enough time. Of course it always is like that yesterday we had a Sister´s prep day. Or in other words, a little bit of Heaven. We started the day with cinnamon rolls close to the beautiful beaches of Brazil. Then took a ton of pictures! A little shopping for tourist stuff, and then....PIZZA HUT! I cannot express how wonderful it was to eat normal pizza! The pizza here is a bit weird.. After we went to the mission president’s house and had an extremely spiritual testimony meeting, and after hung out. I cut hair while others did nails. IT was so fun! It was wonderful to get to know the other sisters and spend some time with my mission president.

This past week was wonderful. We worked really hard and have truly seen the blessings of the Lord in our area. Actually, we have too many blessings and people to teach that I am overwhelmed and feeling insufficient. But what a wonderful problem!

I can truly say that the Lord is right next to us as we work. I have seen miracles and had very special experiences that have helped me understand how close the Lord really is in our lives. I love testifying about the happiness we find in the church. We still have hard times, and challenges, but we always have a sure peace and a friend to turn to, our Savior. I am so grateful to be serving!

I hope everyone is doing well! Please let me know how you are- send letters! It’s been forever since I´ve received one, and I want to know how life is treating ya´ll!

Congratulations to Kim Harrison who is getting married this week. Kim- you´re in my thoughts and I am so happy for you. It breaks my heart that I won’t be there, but you have a friend in Brazil that is so happy and proud of you. I love you Kim! Congrats Jesse- you´ve got a wonderful future wife!
I love you all, and pray for you. Keep me in your prayers!
Love,
Sister Steph


Cinnamon Rolls! Yum!!




This is the point of brazil that is closest to Africa! Cool!


Do you think I'll ever be as tan as he is?!

Joao Pessoa


BRASIL!!!

Pizza Hut....Americana!

This is how I look everyday...notice the sweat mark across my shirt! Ugh! It's HOT HOT HOT here!

Working hard.......

Hello everyone!

I am tired. We worked so hard this week. Walking all day in the hot, hot sun really drains you out. We have been receiving many references, and trying to contact all of these people. Lately I have been feeling really overwhelmed though- let me explain. This area I have been in is extremely big. We take care of two wards, which is a huge area. One ward is really strong and trying to split- so wanting the missionaries to help. The other ward is really weak and needing some serious missionary help. So, it’s been difficult trying to use our time evenly for these two wards. I can’t even explain how much we walk here! I am praying that our mission president will put another set of sisters here soon, because it´s becoming too much!! But I am working and time is passing faster than ever. Crazzzzy! But I am not complaining, it’s wonderful to have stuff to do, people to contact and teach, and members who help! It’s too big of a blessing that I can´t handle all of it alone!

I had one experience that was special this week. About two months ago, we visited a less active member and her 13 other family members who are less active as well. We marked a FHE with her, but for some reason we forgot and never went. The other day, I was passing close to her house, and strongly felt that I should stop there and say, “HI”. I had felt really guilty for what happened, and almost didn’t want to say anything at all. But we talked to them, found out that they had planned a special FHE for us to come, and we didn’t show up. I felt AWFUL! But we talked with them, and apologized. That week we visited them, the Bishop visited and other members as well. She came to a ward activity with some other members of her family. This Sunday, she got up and bore her testimony. She said that she had been passing through a difficult time in her life and had prayed for direction. When I showed up that day, it was an answer to her prayer. She had been strong in the church for 14 years and less active for 10, but now she knows that this is the right place and I had been a great answer to her prayer! It felt so wonderful to see her there with her 4 grandchildren and I hope they continue strong.

Well I hope everyone is well. Christmas is coming up sometime in the future and I would love to get your Christmas cards! My letters are dwindling- so if you have extra time, PLEASE WRITE! I love to hear from you.

I love you all and you are in my prayers!

Love, Sister Gordon

Surviving the heat.............

We had a wonderfully HOT week! I think my body is starting to get used to the heat here, or I am just getting used to sweating A LOT. Either way, it’s still pretty hot. My companion and I have been working like crazy and I hope it will pay off. Having Sis. Machado as a companion has been really different. I feel a lot taller, (in fact, several people called me `tall` this week- Are they craaazy???) I have more seniority because people already know me, and I know the area. I am also teaching, talking and scheduling more than I ever did before. It´s been great! I have improved with the language; still have a lot to learn, but am feeling more and more comfortable every day.

I don’t really have TOOO much to say, seriously, I am getting so boring! We had Lulu’s baptism yesterday- it was so amazing. This girl has truly changed her life and felt so much joy in the gospel. She already was a happy person, but to see the huge smile she has at church is so wonderful. I have known her for a few months now, and we have become close friends. It´s so great to meet new people here and make true friendships. I am so happy for her!! I hope her twin ZeZe gets baptized next week- they are just great girls.

I have to say that seeing Elder Bednar talk last week changed a lot for me. It was such an incredible experience! One thing that meant a lot to me was his definition of Faith. He talked about how most people pray and just ask for things, and then are upset when they don’t happen. He proposed that we pray in a way that we first tell the Lord how we are going to act, or what we will do to receive the blessings we want. This week I have started to do this, and I have worked hard. The incredible thing is that when you follow through with what you tell the Lord you will do, He blesses you with that specific thing you asked for, as long as it is his will too. It’s been incredible! Now, every time I see the word Faith, I think Action. We need to act, and show the Lord that we deserve his blessings. It’s truly changed how I pray.

I am so grateful to be here. It´s my life now, and I am so happy here on the mission. Time isnt too important to me, or my own self isn’t too important. If you saw the way I am dressing, and wearing my hair, you would realize that I don’t care anymore! Ha ha sad I know. But the best part is seeing the smiles on people´s faces when they feel the Lord´s love in their life. Read your scriptures- say your prayers- Go to church- and ACT. I love you all! Till next week!

-Sister Gordon

OO- I totally forgot about Halloween yesterday. They don’t celebrate it here, and I was kind of sad when I remembered. Just because I really would like some good ´ol American candy right about now. The desserts here aren’t that great.. But I hope you had fun!

New Companion

Hello everyone!!

Wow. I can´t express how wonderful I am feeling right now! I have so much to say, and have time to write today!

Yesterday we had the wonderful opportunity to see Elder Bednar and hear him speak. It was an incredible experience. He taught so many things that I can use on my mission, and he was so down to earth. When he bore his testimony at the end, about Christ and the church, I felt the spirit so incredibly strong and knew that what he was testifying was 100% true. That was an addition to my testimony, and now I can truly testify that this gospel is real and not even stop for a mille second to think otherwise. It was extremely wonderful!

Other than that I have been working really hard! I´m liking my new companion- She is Brazilian and has a little more than a year on the mission. It’s been okay so far; she is great but is very different from my last companion. Just getting used to her and increasing my patience! I pretty much act like the senior companion- I know the area, everyone talks to me, and it’s great! I’m talking more, and working like crazy. The days pass faster when you’re working hard.

We have a baptism this weekend of a very amazing girl. It has been wonderful to see the absolute happiness that the gospel brings. She is so happy! She’s full of joy and just beaming. I love moments like this, because it truly comes down to bringing people to the church to find happiness. I am so extremely grateful for my mission- it´s everything to me! I think every day, who would I have been without my mission?? I don’t want to know, but I do know that I am changing, becoming a better and stronger, more wise person. It is incredible! I encourage everyone to go on a mission- you will love it if you want to. That’s the trick- You get out of it what you put into it!
Well have a good week everyone. Pray for Lulu and her twin Zeze- I hope they get baptized this week. I love you all and have a wonderful week!

-Sister Gordon


Me, Thais, Lulu (she will be baptized this sunday)and my companion


Me and Sis Maughan!


Me and my new companion- Sis. Machado




Hanging outside of the bus, close to the beach.

A new companion! Good Bye Sis. Pozete, I'll miss you my friend!

Hello everyone!

 This will be a quick letter. So this week was great! I wasn’t transferred, but I received a new companion. She just got here and I don’t know her well, so I don’t really have much to say. I hope it will be good- Sister Pozete and I were good friends. So I hope the same happens here too!

 This week Thais was baptized. It was one of the biggest trials of my faith and a miracle. It’s a whole wonderful story, and I would love to write it all, but I don’t have time.  I will soon though! But thank you for your prayers.

My goodness, I have so many cool stories to tell and no time! Bummer!! But maybe I will next week. I hope this week goes well. We have an incredible opportunity this week- Elder Bednar (click for information on Elder Bednar) (an Apostle) will be visiting, and we will hear from him Monday. I am sooo excited!!!  So my prep day will be different again, I think. But sooo neat!!!!! 

I am doing well but not looking forward to the rest of this day. Sis. Pozete left earlier than normal, and no one knows she has left. So I will have to see a ton of sad faces today, but looking forward to this new change.

 I have to say that I can truly see the Lord blessing my life. But, most of the time the blessings and miracles come after a huge trial of my faith. Chapter 12 in Ether, the Book of Mormon, (click to read Ether) talks about this, and I love it. Read it- okay?? But I think the Lord loves to test every one of us, and then bless us with more than we expected. Whenever we need anything, he is there. Whenever you have a doubt or question- just pray! Heavenly father helps us with everything. I am so grateful to be here. I am melting, yes, but being blessed at the same time, I think it will be weird to return home and not be constantly sweating! Have a wonderful week! I love you all and am so grateful for your prayers! Until next week!

Love,
 Sister Gordon



Thais´s baptism! Such a wonderful experience.

I'm addicted to this candy!



Twin sisters I am teaching...they are so cute and cool.


She's so cute!


Thais, a new member now



An awesome investigator, Vagna is her name.


We rode to the bus station in a packed car- backpacks, suitcases, and 6 people! I had to hang out the window!


Transfers!

Sisters I spent the day with, so fun!